In a small bowl or container, mix about one tablespoon each of the garlic, sofrito and about three tablespoons of EVOO. Add a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar to that. and just enough adobo so that you can smell it!

Just like Bob Marley says, "STIR IT UP!"

and throw it in the ziploc with the rib(s) and leave in the fridge to marinate for AT LEAST a half hour!

After marinating, set your oven to 350. Place the ribs on a foiled pan (easy clean-up) and slide those babies in for about 1 and a half hour or until nicely browned!This all depends on how much you put in the oven! Follow usual guidelines!!! I'm just telling you what works for me :)

Ok here I put the oil in and I eyeball it so I already know how much I need.

HOWEVER

for those first-timers out there, what you are shooting for is glossy rice! Yes, when you first put the rice into the oil there should be enough oil so that not a single dry grain is found!!! This is a little more tricky when the rice is the last ingredient to go in.

SOOOO

with that said, I suggest you practice making white rice first to get better acquainted! Now that I think about it I will make that a blog post for you all!

The above picture is for 2 cups of rice!

Ingredients for the rice and beans are as follows:

Goya Sazon (1 packet some use less some use more depending on how much rice is made (again I had 2-3 cups).

one 8oz can of tomato sauce,

adobo to sprinkle in some sabor (flavor),

some cumin (a dash or two),

two bay leaves,

some salt(leave for later)

some manzanilla olives (pitted olives with pimiento inside chillin in some brine!)

One can of pink kidney beans!

I USE: Canilla Long Grain white rice (2 cups in this recipe)

when the oil warms up throw in a tsp and a half of sofrito and garlic!

add the sazon

add the sazon, tomate sauce, beans and one can of water, THEN add enough HOT water for the two finger test....

1.add water

2. stir to settle the rice

3. dip handle of wooden spoon straight into the water STOPPING AS SOON as you touch rice! (DO NOT GO THROUGH THE RICE) then..

4. pull it out and match the water level to two fingers (index and middle side by side) (kinda like an oil check)

This little trick ensures that your rice is the perfect texture every time (not too mushy, not to hard) I like it on the mushier side so I tend to add a BIT more water.

stir baby stir

and add the olives (optional)

Bring up to a boil, leave uncovered, do ONE taste test for seasoning and salt.

Dont add too much salt because when the water evaporates it may be too salty!

Its hard to tell between these two pictures but when the water evaporates you will see these little funnels where the bubbles come out and when the water level is flush with the rice it is time for the next step!

Take a large metal spoon and turn the rice (kinda like what bakers call folding)

once bottom is top and top is bottom, put the flame to low, cover and wait about 20-25 minutes and check

and it is also the birth month of an organization that hadstill has an

AMAZING,

inspiring,

andmemorable

effect on my life!

OH yes.....I was a

GIRL SCOUT!

I started Girl Scouts when I was about 6 years old. I joined as a Brownie! (Sounds Yummy right?) I still remember the uniform I would wear every Wednesday for our meetings, the

BROWN KNEE HIGH SOCKS,

the little BEANIE, that my dad would

ALWAYS

jokingly request to put a pinwheel on it whenever he saw me wearing it,

and my most cherished article,

MY SASH OF BADGES.

Each badge achieved for various reasons:

sewing,

camping,

getting along with others,

overcoming fears,

learning about other cultures,

and one of my personal favorites....

BAKING!

My inner Girl Scout was fighting her way out this month, and it just needed one excuse!!

My boyfriend has a MAJOR sweet tooth,

and dessert was all he desired one night, but we had

NO ICE CREAM

NO CAKE

NO COOKIES.....

So what now?

Well I had bananas...those are sweet I thought, but how can I make a

NICE, QUICK and

EASY

dessert?

I thought bananas foster first, but the lack of ice cream and RUM nixed that real quick.

I saw the brown sugar and the semi-sweet chips in my cupboard and at that moment I was transported back to a campground with a bunch of other little girls just like me....sitting at picnic tables learning the recipe for this

UBER EASY TREAT...

Banana Boats!!

MMMMMM yummy!!!!

Check out this next photo....the little chip is surfing down the side on a

nice, smooth

oozing wave of PEANUT BUTTER

( I didn't have marshmallows but the peanut butter was a nice change of taste!)

I also took the liberty to sprinkle some brown sugar and

cinnamon as well!

Recipe is as follows!!:

Preheat oven to 300

get out some foil to lay each banana into a square of foil (enough to wrap the banana)

bananas!!! however many you like!

an array of toppings:

if you want to go traditional

Chocolate chips, marshmallows about a half cup each for every four bananas

if you want to do it the way I did

semi-sweet chocolate chips, about a tablespoon of peanut butter (or as much as your heart desires!), brown sugar, cinnamon.

Had a nice weekend....got a lot taken care of that makes me feel pretty accomplished. I scored an A- on my first In-Class essay for my English Class on Saturday (I'm also a full-time student). I also got my HAPPY ring from Little Miss Momma's Etsy Store!! Pictures and gushing over my loveliest new accessory is below!

Saturday night was Mommy's night off.....it was good to sleep in on Sunday and get a few things taken care of while the little one was at Grandma's. But I really missed her, and honestly I would have been better spending it with her :)

It was nice to get glammed up for once in a month or two :)

And now....the ring.

Is this not the cutest packaging? So simple yet so special! It was like a little treat, something Alice would find in Wonderland..all it missed was a tag that said "OPEN ME".

This is me loving my new ring :) and yes Happy makes me HAPPY....

My best Rita Hayworth pose :P

So thank you LITTLE MISS MOMMA for allowing us to indulge in these little splendors of joy, its the little things in life that can truly make us feel happy AND glamorous :)

Please also visit her ETSY shop guaranteed you won't be able to resist owning something from there! I think my next purchase will be the mustachio necklace...its just too awesome to pass up!

Again thanks to LMM :) please also check out her blog, if you are a mommy, its definitely a great read and its good to know that there are mommies out there with the same worries and emotions and the better moments captured and she is willing to share it all. :)

Here's my little heavenly blossom, who found the box and was ecstatic!!! lol It's so small so she loves it compared to the big ol' economy diaper boxes and that her toys come in...if only I captured her face when she found out it opened! lol Gotta love being a mommy!